Does the excitement of travel outweigh hassles like queueing at airline check-in counters and security checkpoints? It may, because air travellers are surprisingly happy to be in airports around the world, The Telegraph reports.

Data compiled by HappyorNot, the company responsible for the mood-rating kiosks found at 160 airports in 36 countries, show that travellers are far more likely to push the button indicating that they are “delighted” or “very happy” than those indicating their mood as just plain “happy,” “sad,” or — worst of all — “don’t even ask”.

HappyorNot said that 62 per cent of travellers push the happiest button, compared to 17 per cent who rate their mood as happy, 7 per cent who choose the sad face, and 14 per cent who choose the saddest of all buttons.

“The small hours on the weekend are the worst time to travel, while mornings mid-week are consistently the happiest times,” said HappyorNot CEO Heikki Väänänen, whose company shares their data with airport management companies.

“Specifically, 9am and 8am are the happiest times to travel, and 2am and 3am the unhappiest (perhaps unsurprisingly).

“Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are the most pleasant days to travel; Sunday and Saturday the least,” he added.

Travellers are consistently happiest at security checkpoints, while self-rated moods were lowest at baggage claim in the early hours of the morning.

Väänänen said the value of the ratings are twofold: “providing airports with extensive and useful data while also making travellers feel empowered and valued.”

Exeter was recently rated as the happiest airport in the world, with a happiness rating of over 88 per cent.

happy-or-not.com